OneWorld Magazine Spring 2013 - Food Justice Special Edition

Special Edition

FOOD JUSTICE

Meet the Team Spring 2013 Volume 6. Issue 2.

Editor-in-Chief Julia Brucks Creative Director Tony Trabon Managing Editor Mary Shannon Local Section Editor Rachel Watson International Section Editor Kate Essig Copy & Content Directors Erinn McKune Rosie Hodes

Letter from the Editors

Design Editors Lauren Seiler Coeli O’Connell Photography Editor Sanjana Shah Special Projects Managers Anna Doré Megan Von Borstel Outreach Coordinator Louie Hotop Promotions Director Maggie Hazzard Translations Director Meiqing Hu Founder & Visionary Jesse Sullivan Interested in joining the OneWorld team?

Send us an email at: oneworldmagazine@gmail.com

Front cover photo attributed to Killiondude, Wikimedia Commons.

Back cover photo attributed to Eeppeliteloop, Wikimedia Commons.

Photo by Sanjana Shah

Dear Readers, Apples keep doctors away, carrots are good for your eyes and Cheerios lower cholesterol. But the remedy for injustice is not quite as simple.

Our special edition features issues of food justice. From Monstanto in St. Louis to the nomads of Kyrgyzstan, this edition of OneWorld covers the wide range of problems we have on our plate. We also highlight local organizations that are working to combat these issues.

We are grateful to our sponsors from the Center for American Progress—Campus Progress and the Saint Louis University College of Arts and Sciences. A special thanks given to Dr. Bryan Sokol and the Center for Service and Community Engagement for their continuous support and guidance. Without the collective efforts of these individuals, departments and organizations, OneWorld would not be possible.

We hope this publication empowers you to take a bite out of the problem and get to the core of the issue. liveOneWorld, The Editorial Team

Table of Contents Breaking Down Barriers

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Every 21 Minutes

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Conceal and Carry

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Love on the Rocks

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Introduction to Food Justice

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Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

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Food for Thought 15 Locally Modified 17 Children’s Diets: Balancing the Scale

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Tea & T-Bones 21 Like a Good Neighbor, St. Louis Cares

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From the Land to Grand

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Call to Action

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Photos by Cpl. Marionne T. Mangrum

Female engagement team on patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan

Breaking Down

Caroline Belden Freshman, Psychology and Theology Major

In January, the United States military lifted the ban on women serving in combat positions. Since then, on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, over 800 women have been wounded and 130 women killed. After training on the same bases and traveling to the same locations, women in the U.S. military are now allowed equal opportunity to serve in combat with men.

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BARRIERS U.S. Military Ends Ban on Women in Combat

This policy change recognizes that military women are fighting and dying along with their male counterparts and should be allowed to officially serve in these positions.

Until recently, military policy stated that women could not serve in open combat jobs or direct combat units.

A 1994 rule restricted women from infantry, armor, Special Forces, artillery and other combat roles. According to many female veterans, this ban kept qualified military personnel from being

promoted or gaining the recognition they deserve. The goal of changing this policy, according to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, is to “eliminate all unnecessary gender-based barriers to service.” This change has the potential to open 250,000 jobs in combat to women.

Courtney Lyebarger, sophomore ROTC student at Saint Louis University, agrees with the new policy shift.

“Women should have the choice to be put into combat roles,” she said. “Women

should be able to be in any position.”

However, critics question if it is possible for men and women in the military to serve as equals when fighting together. Freshman ROTC student Casey Smith supports the shift and thinks that this issue of gender equality should have been fixed long ago. However, he believes there could be risks. “Males are always going to be protective of females no matter what,”

and weakness that perpetuate gender stereotypes in U.S. culture.

While this may be the case, Lyebarger hopes that the change will allow women to be seen as equals. “Some men find themselves to be superior to women,” she said. “They don’t give women the respect that we deserve when having roles in the military. I hope that this change will start to fix this wrong view.”

The shift has moral and practical

“This barrier has been so obsolete, it was just waiting to be broken.” - Casey Smith he said. “That is human nature. If a man and a woman are on the battlefield and the woman becomes injured, there is a chance that the man will put himself and the mission in jeopardy to save her.”

Similar theorists believe this new policy may challenge the “leave no man behind” ethos of the military because it will test a man’s ability to see a woman as equal in combat. While military personnel are expected to risk their lives for their fellow soldiers, male or female, the policy might expose underlying assumptions about strength

implications. According to many politicians, including Senator Roy Blunt (MO-R), it was inevitable. Military personnel, such as Smith, agree. “This barrier has been so obsolete, it was just waiting to be broken,” he said. The military’s approach to war has changed.

There is not a physical frontline in Iraq and Afghanistan. Women serving in jobs or units not specified as combat have been under fire and fighting alongside men for the past ten years.

The military policy is now recognizing this shift in roles.

Women began to enlist when President Theodore Roosevelt established the Army Nurse Corps in 1901, and since then more than 2 million women have served in the U.S. military. In World War II, women could fly military aircraft for the first time, and 400,000 women served openly in auxiliary positions. This number of women in the military has grown from 2 to 15 percent, and over the years the government has continued to open more positions to women. Lifting this ban is a recognition of the important role women had, and continue to have, in the military.

The military will assess all jobs and units that are not currently integrated.

From there, they will create a plan to implement the policy change. The goal is to finish this assessment and begin integration by January 2016.

But there’s a catch: if a branch decides that a specific job or unit should not be open to women, they can ask for an exemption in order to keep that position or unit closed. So the question remains: with this provision, is gender equality possible in the military?

Every

21

Minutes

Sanjana Shah Junior, Public Health Major

Twenty-one minutes. That’s the time it takes to make dinner or watch a TV show. For some women, 21 minutes can change their life.

In India, a woman is raped every 21 minutes. Jyoti Singh Pandey, a 23-year-old medical student, was one of these women. Six men brutally raped her on a private bus in New Delhi on Dec. 16, 2012.

Two weeks later, she died from her injuries.

“The aftermath of the gang rape in India has created a global spotlight on the issue of violence against women in an unprecedented way,” said Mallika Dutt, founder of Breakthrough, an international organization that focuses on eliminating both discrimination and violence against women. “The issue of violence is no longer something that can be dismissed as inevitable and unchangeable.”

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Rape in India Sparks Global Outrage

Almost 80,000 rapes were reported in India over the last two years. In the months following Pandey’s attack, women across India came forward with similar stories.

Unfortunately, widespread sexual violence is not unique to India.

According to the United Nations, one in every five women in the world will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime.

“When you combine a failure of governance and enforcement of women’s rights with an underlying culture that devalues women, you end up with a crisis where women and girls are unsafe in the home and on the streets,” Dutt said.

In many cultures, victims of rape are at a high risk of threats or additional violence in the aftermath. The rapists and their friends and family often initiate the threats towards the victim as a way to punish or block them from reporting the incident.

Other times, these threats can come from the victim’s own family, as a way to punish her for bringing them shame.

This is especially true in cultures that highly value a woman’s virginity. In extreme cases, rape victims are killed in “honor killings.”

Though these issues prevail in many countries, preventative measures have not always been on political agendas.

However, outrage in India and other nations following Pandey’s attack ignited an international conversation about rape and physical violence against women.

“The women’s movement must now be at the forefront of the fight for governments to change the laws and create more effective enforcement mechanisms,” Dutt said.

Recently, at the U.N. Women’s Commission on the Status of Women, advocates from around the world met to discuss legislative changes that address the widespread violence against women and girls. They penned an agreement that includes a roadmap for prevention and response, with 69 actions for member governments to take.

Even with legislative action, Dutt believes the underlying obstacle of cultural attitudes against women deter progress.

However, action remains crucial.

“It’s going to take a lot of effort,” she said. “But we are in a moment that could mark the tipping point in the struggle against violence against women not just in India, but globally.”

Get involved with organizations that focus on empowering women, such as Breakthrough, Futures Without Violence and Half the Sky Movement.

For more information, visit weliveoneworld.org.

“The issue of violence is no longer something that can be dismissed as inevitable and unchangeable.”

- Mallika Dutt

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OneWorld conducted an anonymous survey asking Saint Louis University students their viewpoint about the presence of guns on campus. In 2011, the Missouri Senate passed HB294 lowering the conceal and carry age from 23 to 21 years old, directly affecting the majority of undergraduate students at SLU. However, because SLU is a private university, their rules can override the legislation. According to the 2012 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, “Weapons are prohibited on all University property even if a person is licensed under Missouri’s concealed carry law. The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness must be notified prior to any person bringing any weapon onto University property.”

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Compiled by: Louie Hotop Jesuit Scholastic, Philosophy and Russian Major

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LOVE THE R

Erinn McKune

Senior, Social Work Major

A woman walks into a police station with a footprint on her back. Was she stomped on? Kicked? When questioned by the police, she doesn’t admit to being assaulted because the utterance of this truth could bring her further harm.

Admitting to being a victim of violence may not resolve the situation.

In many cases, it elicits heightened violence. Detectives asked Paula Rutkowski, Director of Legal Advocates for Abused Women Programs (LAAW) at the Crime Victim Advocacy Center (CVAC), to speak with this victim.

As a social worker, Rutkowski is required to uphold the standards of confidentiality set by the profession, so she could not inform the police of anything the woman shared about the incident. She could, however, ask the victim what she needed in order to feel safe to share her story with the police.

The woman responded that in order to feel safe, she needed a bus ticket out of state. Unfortunately, the solution does not always lie in the price of a bus fare.

Solutions for safety are unique to each individual, the level of vulnerability and the relationship. At 18 years old, Rutkowski experienced

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Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and found her own solution.

“I was scared to death,” Rutkowski said. “He was my next door neighbor.

He broke into my parent’s house. He found me at work.”

Fortunately, there is an existing legal process built to protect victims of abuse.

The Missouri Adult Abuse Act allows victims to file an Order of Protection (OP) against individuals, known as respondents, who have caused, or threatened to cause, harm. An OP does not guarantee that a respondent will stay away, but it provides consequences for

Rutkowski filed an OP against her exboyfriend and navigated the complicated criminal justice system on her own.

When the police advised her to pursue an OP, the first question her offender asked the police was, “How close can I get to her?”

Rutkowski’s history of IPV as a young woman drew her to the field of social work. She has now spent 15 years assisting women who experience IPV. Rutkowski’s personal trials have given her an increased understanding of victims’ needs and the realities of the cycle of violence. Today, when

The first question her offender asked the police was, “How close can I get to her?” neglecting to follow the statute.

The first violation of an OP is considered a Class A misdemeanor, which results in up to one year in jail.

However, if the respondent has plead guilty for a misdemeanor in the past five years, they will be charged with a Class D felony, which results in up to four years in prison. Violations of an OP include entering the home, school or workplace of the victim, abuse, threats to abuse, communication and/ or stalking.

individuals choose to file an OP, advocates are present at courthouses and police stations to ensure victims find answers and support.

While some find themselves immediately choosing this option, others may work towards sustaining their current relationship. According to Rutkowski, one of the major needs of victims is to have their decision respected. It is important to work towards ensuring their safety in whichever situation they choose.

ON ROCKS “Victims like to have someone to talk to who will respect their choice to stay, but will not judge them if two years later they come back and have decided they need to leave,” Rutkowski said.

The decision to leave an abusive relationship is multi-faceted. Children, family and friends, financial, physical and psychologically related needs add pressure to the decision-making process, aside from avoiding a personal safety violation.

The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV) explains, “People often think of domestic violence only in terms of the black eyes and bruises that can be seen. In reality, domestic violence is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors that abusive men use to control their intimate partners.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice, women are five times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner. Approximately 1.3 million women and 835, 000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.

Unlike other issues pertaining to justice, IPV crosses demographic lines from age to race to income.

This large number becomes greater when taking into account the victims’ loved ones. Friends and family who care

for the victim may become frustrated with the decision a victim makes about their situation. This judgment can be detrimental and increase their sense of isolation.

The CVAC provides non-judgmental assistance to women in all stages of the cycle of violence. The cycle of violence is a structure used to display the realities of abusive relationships. It illustrates the movement through abuse, reconciliation, a period of calm and

tension building. This cycle can occur in a week’s time or over the course of a few years. Each relationship is unique.

After years of working in the field, Rutkowski encourages women of all ages to acknowledge the signs of abuse, even if they’re not ready to call it IPV or stalking.

“If you’re nervous for any reason, go with your gut,” Rutkowski said. “Women need to listen to those feelings.”

Cycle of Violence

Tension Building

Abuse Occurs

Calm

Reconciliation/ Making Up

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Special Edition

FOOD JUSTICE

Food justice calls for sustainable growth and equitable distribution of nutritious food, fair conditions for workers and environmentally friendly practices within the food industry.

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Photo by Pallavi Vishwanath

Soulard Market in St. Louis

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE

Photo by Sandy Carmenago

A NOT SO FAIR TRADE Laura de Mondesert Senior, Public Health Major

On a typical weekday morning in Times Square, New Yorkers line up at a coffee shop to spend $3.15 on a 12 ounce latte. In some Latin American countries, rural coffee farmers could sell up to 10.5 pounds of coffee for the same amount.

“It seems to me that the system was not made to work justly,” said Claudio Paz, a Honduran native working for Global Brigades, a non-profit organization. “Rather, it was made so that those that have money will continue to have money, and the people of the pueblos, the ones that sustain life in this country, are the ones that continue to suffer the same injustices generation after generation.”

Small-scale farmers across the “bean belt,” located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, are responsible for over 70 percent of the world’s coffee.

Many of these farmers in Northern Nicaragua and Honduras get by with earning a mere $0.30-0.45 per pound of coffee. As the price of coffee plummets

the product to exporters and brokers who process the coffee at a higher rate.

A series of middlemen continue to increase the value of the beans until they reach the doors of a local coffee vendor and are sold at an inflated rate.

Fair Trade organizations seek to alleviate the coffee crisis by creating sustainable solutions to the problem.

This brings the importers closer to the farmers, yet not close enough. Extensive qualifications and direct association with exporters, rather than the farmers themselves, have created many barriers in this attempt at Fair Trade.

“In mountainous areas, people do not have a clear understanding of what a fair wage is,” said Leila Houshmand, a SLU senior and chairperson of the University’s Global Brigades chapter.

“No one has ever told them ‘your right is this much’ in order to live.”

While farmers continue to earn under a dollar for a pound of coffee, the vendor or enterprise can potentially profit up to $4 per pound. Farmers are

Not even a fraction of these earnings will ever meet the hands of the farmer that grew the beans. more every year, rural farmers in Latin America face greater challenges to compete in the industry.

An average 16 ounce bag of imported coffee in the United States is sold anywhere between $7-10. However, not even a fraction of these earnings will ever meet the hands of the farmer that grew the beans. Trade-lenders, known as “coyotes,” are some of the main contributors to this marginalization.

Coyotes purchase fresh coffee beans from farmers at exceptionally low costs.

They then travel to bigger cities to sell

aware that the coyotes make more than they do, yet know no other option. Out of desperation, they comply with the set price.

Fair Trade will never be effective if coyotes remain in the system. The coffee crisis will persist so long as coffee remains in high demand and corporations in full control.

“Despite knowing that these [farmers] work very hard,” Paz said, “their children may never have the chance to someday make a decent or fair living in this society.”

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT muffin top Since the 1960s, average waistlines have expanded by about an inch per decade.

put all your eggs in one basket

People who started off their morning with eggs ended up consuming 418 less calories by the end of the day than those who did not.

sweet tooth don’t bite off more than you can chew People who chewed a bite of food 40 times consumed 12 percent less calories than those who chewed only 15 times.

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The average American consumes 156 pounds of added sugar per year.

cry over spilled milk Those who drink low-fat milk are 54 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who do not.

cup of joe People who drank three to five cups of coffee daily for a 20 year period were 65 percent less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

take it with a grain of salt

greatest thing since sliced bread

Eating whole grains may reduce stroke risk 30 to 36 percent. It may also reduce the risk of asthma and gum disease.

Reducing sodium intake could potentially prevent 11 million cases of high blood pressure and save $18 million in direct medical costs each year.

an apple a day keeps the doctor away Eating one apple a day could reduce the risks of breast cancer by 17 percent.

Compiled by: Maggie Hazzard Freshman, International Business Major

don’t be chicken Our bodies process iron two to three times more efficiently from poultry, fish and meat than iron from plants.

Sources: United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Health, Harvard University, American Cancer Society, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cornell University, Harbin Medical University, Egg Farmers Ontario, Whole Grains Council

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Photo by Jeremy Keith

Locally Modified The Questions Surrounding Genetically Modified Products

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Hannah Wiley Sophomore, Communications and Italian Major

Fusing agriculture and biotechnology has created a growing cycle of dependency in the food industry.

According to Northwestern University, 90 percent of soybean seeds and 80 percent of corn seeds grown and consumed are genetically modified (GM). Recent legislation reinforcing the protection of GM products is causing controversy concerning the role of big business in public health.

as “The Monsanto Protection Act.” With this bill, the agricultural practices of Monsanto came to the forefront of political debate.

Farmers are protected under Section 735, which states that in the event of a GM prodcut recall by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), farmers are still permitted to use the product until there is an official ruling

“The future looks pretty scary. They’re using us as a guinea pig.”

- Dr. Chad Huddleston

The Company

A top producer of GM seeds, insecticides and herbicides, Monsanto Agricultural Company is located approximately 12 miles from Saint Louis University’s campus.

With the help of Monsanto, traditional agriculture gave way to scientific breakthroughs. Modern advances, such as GM seeds, led to advantages including higher crop yield and protection against extreme weather conditions.

However, Monsanto’s innovations leave consumers and critics with many unanswered questions. “In some ways, it has certainly helped in that they have created a product that has added to the biology and understanding of how plants work,” said Dr. Chad Huddleston, a professor of Sociology at SLU. “However, they’re monopolizing our food industry.”

The Bill In March 2013, Congress introduced a bill that exposed the broad reach of Monsanto in the food industry.

Section 735 of the 2013 Appropriations Bill (HR 933) is sometimes referred to

set a dangerous precedent of protecting large corporations, like Monsanto, from legal accountability.

In the opinion of Dr. Kenneth Warren, professor of Political Science at SLU, Monsanto is a strong corporation that acts like any other. “Monsanto has a lot of highly paid lobbyists that know Washington politics inside and out, and they lobby, like any corporation,

on its safety. The bill also permits companies like Monsanto to continue selling such products after recall.

On March 26, 2013, President Barack Obama signed HR 933, including “The Monsanto Protection Act,” into law. Despite its passing, health advocacy and environmental groups continue to protest against Section 735. They claim GM products are linked to various diseases and associated with detrimental environmental issues. While no conclusive evidence connects GM food to these problems, speculation persists.

The Impact Critics, including Huddleston, believe the damage will reveal itself when it is too late to remove society from dependence on GM food. “The future looks pretty scary,” said Huddleston.

“They’re using us as a guinea pig.” He explained that if reliance on GM food continues, people will not know where their food is coming from.

Furthermore, opponents argue that legislation such as Section 735 could

to get what they want before Congress and regulatory agencies,” Warren said.

Opponents of Section 735 argue that these lobbyists had pull in getting the bill passed.

Tom Helscher, Monsanto spokesman, counters criticisms like Warren’s.

“Contrary to impression, the legislation does not protect Monsanto, any biotech company or USDA from litigation or court actions related to the review of USDA’s approval of a biotech crop.”

The implications of Section 735 expand beyond the political realm and into consumers’ homes. While it is clear that the growing consumption of GM products will continue to shape the health of the public, many unknowns remain. Among them are the potential health risks of GM products, as well as the implication of legislation that protects companies like Monsanto.

Whatever the future holds, with increasing reliance on GM foods, it is increasingly important for consumers to be informed eaters.

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Photo by Brian Woodley

Children’s Diets

A BALANCED SCALE

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To a child, the idea of healthy eating can easily get lost in a bowl of Coco Puffs for breakfast or a Happy Meal for lunch. Kindergartners are not apt to reach for celery over a cupcake.

In 2012, the American Heart Association found that one in three children are overweight or obese in America. These children have a 70 percent chance of growing into overweight or obese adults, a rate that rises to 80 percent if one or more of their parents are overweight or obese.

The health of this country lies in the hands of its youth, and their hands need guidance.

“Should we correct ‘overweight’? Yes. Should we use restrictive diets? No,” said Karen Steitz, Dietetic Internship Director at Saint Louis University. “The

child’s needs,” she said.

Parental guidance is necessary to determine a child’s success at maintaining a healthy weight. This includes balancing a child’s satiety center and external environment. In 2002, Cambridge University found that early exposure to fruits and vegetables, as opposed to foods high in sugar and fat, affects a child’s food preferences later in life.

While healthy options for children are beneficial, a parent’s choice to hold the reins too tightly may backfire.

Research has found that being too overbearing when it comes to diet can cause children to turn away from a healthy, balanced lifestyle by splurging on the things they are forbidden.

The perception of body image is

The health of this country lies in the hands of its youth, and their hands need guidance.

One in three children are overweight or obese in America.

reason that there is excessive weight gain in children is that there is a disruption of the appetite satiety center, which can be affected by environmental cues. All foods can fit with balance, moderation and variety. Balance is key.”

While diet and exercise are essential, sleep patterns and social lives are important as well. Often food is misused to fill gaps in a child’s life. These gaps include limited social stimulation, lack of sleep, family issues or boredom.

According to Steitz, the solution to childhood obesity isn’t as simple as altering poor nutritional choices. “As far as intervention, the strategy should be an age appropriate, nutritionally adequate, well balanced diet that provides the nutrients specific to that

also an issue. One in four girls under the age of 16 have said they diet to lose weight, not for the health benefits, but because they are dissatisfied with their body. Parents cannot change the way that society perceives body image, but they can change how their children perceive themselves.

Living a healthy life is a balancing act that requires attention to social pressures, food choices, exercise, sleep patterns and human interaction. Solely putting young children on restrictive diets fails to address the complex issues at hand. There must be a communitybased comprehensive effort if America’s children are ever to tip the scales.

Abby Walsh Freshman, English Major

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Tea & T-Bones

The Risks of Kyrgyz Cuisine Inna Lutsenko, MD

Junior Faculty Development Fellow, Neurology; Kyrygyz State Medical Academy

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An old Kyrgyz joke says, “Scientists once conducted a study to see which living animal eats the most meat.

Wolves took second place. And who do you think took first? Kyrgyz people!”

The nomadic way of life imposed constraints on the diet of Kyrgyz people making their food fatty, high in calories and ample in protein. Meat takes a central place in the Kyrgyz kitchen as their nomadic lifestyle did not cultivate fruits and vegetables.

The most common type of meat in the Kyrgyz cuisine is lamb. A common

Kyrgyz proverb states, “the cheap lamb has little fat.” Accordingly, mutton is highly prized in Kyrgyz cuisine, and this high-fat meat is often considered the best.

In the West, tea is commonly mixed with sugar, lemon or milk. But Kyrgyz people drink their tea with rendered sheep fat and salt.

Surprisingly, this passion for fat has not led to an overweight population in Kyrgyzstan. It has, however, led to other issues. One of them is high cholesterol and the development of

Photo by Thomas Depenbusch

Unfortunately, just as long-term smokers continue to crave cigarettes, the Kyrgyz people continue to crave a diet that is high in fat and red meat. early atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Unfortunately, Kyrgyzstan currently holds one of the highest incidence and mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and this “bad cholesterol” is one of the underlying causes.

As a practicing neurologist, I face the challenge of persuading my Kyrgyz patients to adopt a low-fat diet after surviving a stroke. One of the defining causes of ischemic stroke is the presence of high-cholesterol in the bloodstream which can lead to an appearance of plaque inside the brain and, as a result, obstruct blood flow.

When you look at the Kyrgyz, famous for eating so much meat, you see that they are prone to multiple strokes. The Kyrgyz eat for three, work as five people, and procreate with the passion of seven! Unfortunately, just as long-term smokers continue to crave cigarettes, the Kyrgyz people continue to crave a diet that is high in fat and red meat. Implementing good nutrition is necessary to adopting a healthy lifestyle.

A meat shop found in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Stores like this are at the heart of Kyrgyz’s cultural cuisine.

The narrative below illustrates a typical exchange between myself and a patient whose name has been changed to Manas, a popular Kyrgyz name.

Manas, a skinny green-eyed man in his forties, sits in front of me. As a shepherd, he lives in a mountain pasture, and all his income comes from breeding cattle. He is a Kyrgyz of the Yenisei, the native nomadic people of the region dating back thousands of years.

They are a unique and beautiful people.

Manas suffered an ischemic stroke about a month ago. He now experiences weakness in his right limbs, an affected gait and depression. He is a good and diligent patient: he follows all my

prescriptions, performs rehabilitative exercises despite the pain and partially succeeds. Today, his right hand is stronger, and he can feed himself. In the future, I hope he will drive a car again.

“Manas,” I say, “today you go home and leave our clinic. I want to remind you about doing the exercises and taking regular medication. This will help restore your limb weakness. But more than that, I really want you to decrease the amount of animal fat in your meals.

I want you to fully recover. I do not want a stroke to happen again.” I care about his fate, like the fate of all my patients.

Manas sighs and answers me with a smile. “Inna, I understand. This fat and meat - they are guilty in my stroke.

Yes, I have other sins, too. I still drink alcohol occasionally. I understand everything. I really want to get better.

I have to organize my daughter’s marriage. I want to help my family. I do not want to be a burden to them.” He understands, and I smile.

“Inna, but I can’t live without meat, he says. “It’s in our blood, in genes of Kyrgyz people, you know. What am I going to eat? Wheat? Grass?”

“Horse meat, turkey...have a look at the list of possibilities,” I reply.

“Eh,” he says, “Inna, I’ll try. Horse meat is very expensive, we kill the horses only on a great holiday.”

“Try, Manas, to avoid fat meat. Your health is in your hands,” I say sadly. I embrace him, wishing him a fast recovery.

Manas leaves and closes the door. I pour myself a cup of tea, without the rendered fat, and ponder what is more important: maintaining tradition and eating habits? Or correcting the problem and adapting to new conditions?

“Manas, I wish you stay healthy,” I whisper.

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Like a Good, Neighbor, St. Louis Cares

Five local organizations focusing on food

Photo by Pallavi Vishwanath

Panera Cares Intended to raise national awareness about food insecurity and serve as a catalyst for local change, Panera Cares community cafes confront the growing epidemic of hunger in the United States in a unique way.

Located in five major cities across the country, these non-profit cafes provide diners with the Panera restaurant experience regardless of customers’ financial means, employing a “paywhat-you-can” rationale. The young initiative, introduced in St. Louis in 2010, offers a dignified meal in an uplifting environment, free of judgment, whether a customer can pay for their meal or not.

Slow Food STL Slow Food is a non-profit organization established in 1989 devoted to promoting sustainable food, biodiversity and the preservation of food traditions. Slow Food was founded to counteract fast food and waning interest in how our food choices affect the global community. Its philosophy is built upon a few simple notions: food should taste good; it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

Food Outreach In 2011, Food Outreach provided an impressive 484,333 meals to clients in need. The local organization’s mission is to provide nutritional support and enhance the quality of life of men, women and children living with potentially terminal illnesses.

Founded in 1988 by individuals caring for their friends diagnosed with HIV/ AIDS, Food Outreach has expanded its operation to serve cancer patients as well. Today, Food Outreach supports those living with HIV/AIDS and cancer throughout the St. Louis community.

St. Louis Area Foodbank The St. Louis Area Foodbank serves 26 counties in both Missouri and Illinois, feeding hungry people and educating the public about the nature of and solutions to the problems of hunger. In this bi-state region, one in eight people are in need of food assistance. Through the support of hundreds of food manufacturers, retailers and food drives, the St. Louis Area Foodbank distributed over 25 million pounds of food in 2011.

St. Louis Food Rescue Each week, St. Louis Food Rescue salvages over 5,000 pounds of produce, baked goods and dairy products, that normally would be thrown away, from local food retailers that support their mission. Officially formed in 2011, St. Louis Food Rescue works to alleviate hunger in the local community. Each weekend, volunteers collect perishables from donors such as Whole Foods and Costco and immediately deliver them to those most in need, serving organizations such as the Salvation Army and various homeless shelters.

Compiled by: Mary Shannon Junior, Political Science, Spanish, and International Studies Major

Learn how you can make a difference!

Go to weliveoneworld.org to find out more.

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“Ultimately, we are hoping that the market becomes a true community gathering space and creates some spontaneity for the district.” - Travis Howser

FROM THE LAND TO GRAND Photo by Paul Sableman

Rachel Watson Senior, Urban Studies and Economics Major

Come late summer of 2013, the Grand Center district of St. Louis will welcome a new addition to the neighborhood. Grand Market – a brand new farmers market – will be open for business on Sundays in Strauss Park across from the Fox Theater and Jazz at the Bistro, one block north of campus.

The market will provide local and regional vendors the chance to expand their clientele, while also offering Grand Center residents and visitors the opportunity to purchase fresh produce, flowers, crafts, alcohol and ready-to-eat food at affordable prices.

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Grand Center Director of Events, Travis Howser, noted that the neighborhood’s designation as a food desert was partially responsible for the development of Grand Market.

“We feel as though affordable, fresh food is in high need in the area,” Howser said. “There are a lot of residents that have to travel a good distance to get to the nearest grocery store.”

In addition, organizers are considering the idea of live music featuring local talent and have finalized a partnership with The Rock and Roll Craft show.

In an effort to reach the Saint Louis University population, who

make up a large portion of the neighborhood’s residents, Grand Center is encouraging students to volunteer, contact booth owners for job opportunities or create their own businesses and become vendors.

“Ultimately, we are hoping that the market becomes a true community gathering space and creates some spontaneity for the district,” Howser said. “As of now, a lot of the district events require tickets, and we are hoping this can be a casual place for people to gather, eat, share ideas and easily access fresh foods that they would normally have to travel to get.”

CALL TO ACTION The Center for Service and Community Engagement (CSCE) joins OneWorld magazine in its efforts to promote thoughtful discussion on issues that impact our lives and our communities. Raising our collective awareness of local

and global concerns is the first step in meeting this commitment. The second step is action.

Whatever interests or time requirements you might have, the CSCE can help connect you to organizations whose work appeals

to your broader interests, academic path and personal growth. These are local organizations that directly correlate with articles published in this Spring 2013 issue of OneWorld.

Food Justice in St. Louis Campus Kitchen Labre Homeless Ministry St. Matthew’s Community Garden

Victims of Violence Safe Connections International Crisis Aid Crime Victim Advocacy Center

Visit weliveoneworld.org for descriptions, directions and contact information for these sites.

Empowering Women Karen House St. Marthas Hall Girls on the Run St. Louis

Eateries with Locally Grown Food Local Harvest Cafe Five Bistro Café Osage Rooster

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

Our Mission

The support of OneWorld’s sponsors ensures that our organization will continue to grow and become a more sustainable and meaningful community project. To inquire about supporting us in 2013-2014, please email oneworldmagazine@gmail.com.

We are already one, but we imagine that we are not. OneWorld exists to rediscover that, while we are many in our cultures, religions and struggles, we are one in our common humanity.

We yearn to remove the barriers of ignorance and injustice, because the

most basic and unchanging truth that unites us is the infinite value of the human person. OneWorld emphasizes this unity by raising awareness of social injustice, inspiring action and transforming our hearts, minds and society.

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.�

Margaret Mead